1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having an included function for accessing a World Wide Web server (hereinafter referred to as a WWW server), for example, on a network. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an image processing apparatus that accesses a server to acquire data for the generation of desired information, and for enabling the performance of an output process, such as printing.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, it has been possible for a computer, on which is mounted a special software program (hereinafter referred to as a browser) for accessing a server across a network, to use HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) to connect to a WWW server, whereat various types of data are-stored, and to refer to the data that is held by the WWW server. It is therefore possible for a plurality of computers to refer to and to share data available at a specific WWW server.
Furthermore, since a WWW browser makes it possible for a computer to store data at a WWW server, a user can transmit an instruction to print stored data to an information processor that has a printing function, and can thereby print data on the WWW server.
Further, the function for the accessing of a WWW server is also provided for an information processor that has a printing function, so that the information processor can directly access the WWW server to obtain data, and can then print the data. In this case, the printing instruction can be entered at a terminal connected to the server via the network, or at the operating panel of the specific information processor.
The instruction may include a specified time at which the information processor is to access the WWW server, and a time interval for the performance of periodical and repetitive accesses.
When an access time and an access time interval are designated, these designated timings are assigned to and stored with jobs at the information processor. A job for which an access time has been designated is stored until the access time is reached, and a job for which an access time interval has been designated is stored for an extended period of time in the information processor.
However, in an environment wherein the above described information processor is employed in common by a plurality of users, the number of jobs registered in the information processor is increased, and accordingly, the number of jobs to be stored is considerably increased as time elapses. Therefore, the memory capacity available for storing jobs is insufficient, and jobs that are to be processed at the same time tend to overlap and the processing capability to be degraded.
It is, therefore, a first objective of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that limits the functions that can be used by individual users, and reduces the number of jobs stored in the apparatus, so that the memory capacity available for storing jobs need not be increased and the processing capability can be improved.
It is a second objective of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and method whereby the period of time before the memory capacity becomes insufficient and the period of the time before the processing capability becomes degraded can be extended so they are longer than the conventional periods, and a recording medium therefor.
To access data on a WWW server, since the manner in which link information in HTML data is traced differs from the manner in which data are traced that are located at a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) site that is directly designated by a user, in addition to the URL site that is directly designated the user, other, linked URL sites are automatically searched. Therefore, data the user does not intend to access may be acquired at a linked URL site and printed, or a large amount of data that the user does not expect may be printed.
To resolve this problem, it is a third objective of the present invention to obtain and print only that data at a WWW server that is desired.
To achieve the first objective, according to the present invention an image processing apparatus, which is connected to a server on a network, comprises:
data acquisition means for accessing the server to obtain data;
data generation means for generating image data using the data obtained by the data acquisition means;
output means for outputting the image data that are generated by the data generation means;
first storage means for storing operating instruction information concerning an operating instruction for the image processing apparatus;
second storage means for storing operating restriction information concerning an operating restriction imposed on the image processing apparatus;
determination means for employing the operating restriction information stored in the second storage means to determine whether an operation to be performed by the image processing apparatus is permitted; and
operation control means for, when the determination means ascertains that the operation to be performed by the image processing apparatus is permitted, executing the operation in accordance with an operating instruction that is included in the operating instruction information.
To achieve the second objective, according to the present invention an image processing apparatus comprises:
data acquisition means for accessing a server on a network in order to obtain image forming data from the server;
image forming means for processing the image forming data that are obtained;
identification data input means for entering identification data;
storage means for storing reference data that is to be compared with the identification data;
identification means for comparing with the reference data stored in the storage means the identification data entered by the identification data input means in order to identify the identification data; and
control means for employing the result of the identification process to permit or to prohibit image forming by the image forming means.
To achieve the third objective, according to the present invention an image processing apparatus, which accesses HTML (HyperText Markup Language) data on a WWW (World Wide Web) server in accordance with designated address information and which prints the HTML data, comprises:
acceptance requesting means for requesting of a source that specifies the address information an acceptance for the accessing of data other than those data that correspond to the designated address information and that are linked with the pertinent data; and
halting means for, when the acceptance requested by the acceptance request means can not be obtained from the source that specifies the address information, halting access of the data other than data that correspond to the designated address information and that are linked with the pertinent data.